From the Gavel -- At a House Armed Services Committee Hearing on Iraq Legislation Friday morning (revised from "this morning" when originally posted on Monday), Kansas Congresswoman Nancy Boyda apparently heard as much good news as she could stand.
So she did the old cut-and-run by walking out (as The Gavel explains, "She is responding in part to General Jack Keane, who testified before the Committee but left before Rep. Boyda’s remarks, and was reportedly one of the architects of the escalation policy"; there should probably be a "from" before the second mention of Keane's name):
"I was certainly hoping that General Keane would be able to be here as well. Let me say thank you very much for your testimony so much, Mr. Korb, and I just will make some statements more for the record based on what I heard mainly General Keane. As many of us, there was only so much that you could take until we, in fact, had to leave the room for a while, and so I think I am back and maybe can articulate some things that after so much of the frustration of having to listen to what we listened to."
"But let me just first say that the description of Iraq as if some way or another that it’s a place that I might take the family for a vacation, things are going so well, those kinds of comments will in fact show up in the media and further divide this country instead of saying here’s the reality of the problem and people, we have to come together and deal with the reality of this issue."
Note that she:
- Is almost certainly mischaracterizing the general's testimony -- unless someone can find Iraq described by the general as a suitable family vacation destination (good luck).
- Is afraid of positive news becoming known (this would appear to be a smoke signal to Old Media to ignore this testimony).
- Is, in effect, calling an multi-star general a liar, even though he was likely under oath.
- By walking out on a general's testimony, is showing that SHE is more interested in keeping opinion on Iraq divided than getting at the truth.
But she supports the troops. (/sarcasm)
Let's visit her campaign web site's home page, shall we? Going to the last paragraph:
Now our challenge is to turn the promise of our campaign into action in Congress. Kansans cast their ballots on Election Day to end the era of one-party rule, so I am working every day in Washington to replace partisanship with leadership.
Nancy Boyda's (possibly contrived?) hearing cut-and-run act was surely not an example of leadership.
From a Google cache of her "issues" page during her 2006 campaign (click on "Foreign Policy" to see the text; backup stored here in case Ms. Boyda has Google cache scrubbed):
"Stay the course" is a political slogan, not a military strategy.
The administration must establish a responsible, realistic plan for dealing with the insurgency and a timeline during which the Iraqi citizens must establish a viable government for themselves.
So the administration has refined its plan, and a general comes in to explain how it's going, in part to see if it meets Ms. Boyda's "responsible, realistic" criteria. Apparently, Boyda's definitions of "responsible" and "realistic" never encompassed "improving the situation in Iraq"; in fact, it seems that she can't even handle the idea that the situation might be improving. Her expressed fears that good news might actually be reported would seem to betray a wish on her part that the mission fail, and her belief that good news testified to by a multi-star general, probably under oath, shouldn't get out.
In light of her veiled plea to Old Media to ignore Keane's testimony, will be interesting indeed to see how Old Media will play the testimony and Ms. Boyda's snit fit, or whether it will bother to cover either.
—Tom Blumer is president of a training and development company in Mason, Ohio, and is a contributing editor to NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
No Way Out
July 30, 2007 - 13:10 ET by allanfNancy and her ilk are defeat lovers. They revel in defeat. They hope and pray for it. The ultimate defeat for her will be our success in Iraq.
I know Nancy says it cannot be done. But if you say it cannot be done, you are right, you can't do it.
Ditto on that
July 30, 2007 - 14:14 ET by SQL_Sam"But let me just first say that the description of Iraq as if some way or another that it’s a place that I might take the family for a vacation, things are going so well, those kinds of comments will in fact show up in the media and further divide this country "
Interesting choice of words, I wish someone would have asked her where there is a place in the Middle East that one can take a family on vacation without the posibility of being assaulted for:
1) Just being an American
2) Where I can take out my bible and read it (this is a vacation)
3) being a woman
4) being a woman and not wearing a burka or (egads) a Burkini! (this is a vacation)
This list goes on, but I think it is revelent to bring up - when would anyone bring a family to some place like this for a "vacation", maybe we should have honor killings at Disneyland, that might make it more plausible to take a vacation to these nutty country's.
Even before the U.S. went in Afghanistan I think you'd have to be crazy to go to the middle east on a family vacation. You can tell a lot about a Country in how it treats its women - I hold that bias to all country's actually, find me another country that comes even close to the U.S. on that one....
What are the other vacation spots?
July 30, 2007 - 19:07 ET by ThisnThatPerhaps she takes her family on vacation to:
I dunno, but her Iraq vacation comment seems really off the wall to me.
Who elects these people and
July 30, 2007 - 13:13 ET by rbosqueWho elects these people and why?
Who elects these people and
July 30, 2007 - 13:20 ET by rbosqueAmerica, please elect sane people.
Stupidity must be
July 30, 2007 - 13:18 ET by rbosqueStupidity must be contageous at the DNC.
And deprive ourselves of
July 30, 2007 - 13:53 ET by dscottAnd deprive ourselves of entertainment on the evening news?
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"
Standard Practice
July 30, 2007 - 13:43 ET by kdoliverThis is no different than we ALGORE spoke about Global Warming. He was followed by a real scientist. Non of the Dims hung around to hear another side.
http://thelazytriathlete.blogspot.com/
I hope there is video/audio
July 30, 2007 - 18:11 ET by drillanwrI hope there is video/audio footage of all these kiss-my-arse walkouts so that the RNC can use them in the coming election(s) ...
Why not just stick her
July 30, 2007 - 13:49 ET by dervishWhy not just stick her fingers in her ears and sing loudly?
the Iraqi citizens must
July 30, 2007 - 13:51 ET by dscottthe Iraqi citizens must establish a viable government for themselves
Define establish. Apparently to Dems like Ms. Boyda, the Iraqis having voted three times doesn't establish a government or Constitution or an elected body passing laws. Apparently, unless Iraq establishes one party rule where they all sing Kumbaya together (like under Saddam's rule), their government is divided, umm, just like our government... Of course any line that dissents from the Dem party line is divided opinion which is not helpful to unite the country. - Under who's tight fist Ms. Boyda? Heil Hillary!
“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane"
How pathetic
July 30, 2007 - 13:53 ET by Reality CheckPredictable and pathetic. People like her had better pay attention though... the narrative is changing.
As this website has reported, all-liberal panels on Sunday talk shows are agreeing on all of the horrible things that will happen if we withdraw early, and the New York Times editorial page essentially agrees with the General's testimony.
I was really starting to fear that we were going to abandon the Iraqis. Now I'm again hopeful that we'll finish the job.
Reality Check
"But let me just first say
July 30, 2007 - 13:56 ET by fendertele"But let me just first say that the description of Iraq as if some way or another that it’s a place that I might take the family for a vacation.."
Boy, I'm glad I'm not this guy's kid... 'Let's see, Disneyland..no, San Diego Zoo...maybe if the animals weren't in cages...I got it! Let's take little Johnny to Bagdad and have him patrol the the roadways for IED's!'
She Said it
July 30, 2007 - 15:13 ET by Tom BlumerShe said it, Keane didn't. Show me where he said it.
THANK YOU! ANYTIME,
July 30, 2007 - 18:14 ET by drillanwrTHANK YOU!
ANYTIME, accomplishments and/or good news comes out of Iraq these people right away jump on the old "Oh, so, would you move your family there ... huh??!!" jackass and ride it around the room.
Would move your family to California? Or Iraq?
July 30, 2007 - 18:25 ET by TruthMongerhttp://teapottantrums.typepad.com/index/2006/10/iraq_vs_califor.html
C. Greenland!
July 30, 2007 - 18:35 ET by drillanwrC. Greenland!
Dear Abby
July 30, 2007 - 14:31 ET by Jack BauerDear Abby
A four star general is being grilled by a Demohack, at a House Armed Services Committee Hearing on Iraq ,with a load of fatuous, dumbass questions he despises . Should he...
#1. Storm out like a childish spoiled brat, hands over his ears, screaming nah, nah, nah, nah, nah... can't hear you.
#2. Listen politely, before responding with as much respect as he can muster.
#3. Unholster his service weapon, and settle the matter with maximum efficiency.
I'm checking #3 ... But what
July 30, 2007 - 18:16 ET by drillanwrI'm checking #3 ... But what the heck do I know? I'm just a knuckle-dragging chickenhawk ...derrrr!
Answer to question - fools "elect these people"
July 30, 2007 - 15:33 ET by w0tmTo answer the person who asked "who elects these people?", as a fifth generation Kansan I can tell you who, voters! Or at least the ones who are fools. They are everywhere. Yes, even in "conservative" Kansas. If you had been here the weeks before each election since 9/11, you'd have thought every Democrat worshipped General Patton. Ditto on most everything else from taxes to you name it. They all gave speeches to the right of Republicans. Few voters looked at the voting records of the ones running for re-election or the platforms of the others. Why? The Kansas City Star (called the Red Star locally) that feeds most of the news to other Kansas newspapers stopped printing voting records five years ago. They now pillar any Republican candidate every way possible while printing (for instance) a full-page spread on our governor's favorite cookie recipe (wearing an apron and surrounded by smiling children). True - this was headline news in the Kansas City Star the day before the 2006 election. Our far-left governor is everyone's favorite mom while her Republican opponent stole wheelchairs from nursing homes.
Most Kansans have no clue how their Democrat Party representatives vote. Go listen to their speeches when they appear at a local VFW or Rotary club meeting. Ronal Reagan couldn't utter more conservative words than they do. But their speeches are NEVER reprinted in our local papers. Just a short summary summed up by "the flag and apple pie". No clue - the voters have no clue. Then they get mad when the far left triumphs. Do our local newspapers report OUR representatives were among the offenders? Of course not! Voters ALWAYS get what they deserve. Yes, even in Kansas. Use www.archive.org to read her Web site before the last election. It was to the right of any conservative. And the voting fools bought it. She won by a landslide as did many far left Democrats did in Kansas for the same reason. And voters will keep buying the propaganda. "Propaganda is not propaganda if the public recognizes it as propaganda" - Joseph Goebbels.
There is no cure for mass stupidity. There is no excuse for mass ignorance. The truth exists but you have to go find it. VERY few take the time to do so. Instead, they read the newspaper and then assume they now know the truth. No, they've just been deceived (again). As I say, they deserve what they get (and the rest of us are forced to go along for the ride). As much as we may not like it, we're all on the same bus. If the driver is blind and the bus has no brakes, who cares!
So that's the news from Kansas. The answer is "it's the same all over". We can be just as dumb as those in any other state and we work to prove it! Next question?
Many thanks for the update
July 30, 2007 - 23:31 ET by Del DolemonteMany thanks for the update from what the Democrats used to call "flyover country". The fact that your state, as far from the media centers on each coast as anyone, has been brainwashed proves that we're in for some tough times.
Agenda...agenda...agenda.
July 30, 2007 - 16:19 ET by bigtimerAgenda...agenda...agenda.
Poor pathetic leftists, that is all the looniest of them are going to have left very soon....
I personally love it myself.
"Now our challenge is to
July 30, 2007 - 16:23 ET by chessplayer"Now our challenge is to turn the promise of our campaign into action in
Congress. Kansans cast their ballots on Election Day to end the era of
one-party rule,"
So that must mean she will vote for a Republican for President to avoid one party rule, right? (sarc)
The Iraqi forces are taking
July 30, 2007 - 16:31 ET by BDThe Iraqi forces are taking three times the casualties that US forces are, but that does not fit the approved template that the media is working from....
Chicken Poop Runs Yellow in the House. Oh Boyda!
July 30, 2007 - 17:29 ET by heldmywI think she did America a great service...
To demand a report from a career military officer, not only 'presumably under oath', but serving under the oath that all officers serve under which is far stricter, and to run like a scared child from a bogeyman...
You gotta love the abject cowardice, the lack of courtesy, the unrelenting stupidity, cupidity and wretchedness of this lump of feces.
Thanks Nancy! America's vision of the treasonous cowards that are liberal democrats is one whit more focused.
The least you could have done was stand up and fight. Bring some demonstrable, verifiable facts, you know, statesman stuff...
(Look it up "statesman". You're supposed to be one.)
Oh, temptation
July 30, 2007 - 20:13 ET by Mike BrattonMs. Boyda, you tempt people like me to move to your state, and specifically to your district, just to take your seat away from you.
Hopefully, someone will take it away from you at the earliest possible opportunity.
--Mike
www.thebrattonreport.com